Thermalright has released a "Bending Corrector Frame" for Intel's Alder Lake CPU
Meet Thermalright's LGA1700-BCF (Bending Corrector Frame)
Published: 21st April 2022 | Source: Thermalright - Vai Cowcotland |
Thermalright has created an anti-bending solution for Intel's Alder Lake processors
Intel's Alder Lake processors are prone to bending and warping, a defect of Intel's LGA1700 CPU latching system. Intel has admitted that this is a problem, but has stated to the media that "We have not received reports of 12th Gen Intel Core processors running outside of specifications due to changes to the integrated heat spreader (IHS)".
To put things another way, Alder Lake's bending/warping issue is expected behaviour and Intel does not recommend modifications to their CPU socket that would avoid this issue. Thankfully, Thermalright has not listened to Intel's advice, and has developed an "Anti-Bending Frame" that is designed to prevent Alder Lake CPU warping/bending.
Is warping/bending a problem?
While Intel calls bending/warping expected behaviour for its Alder Lake processors, this behaviour had negative effects on a CPU's cooling performance. A bent IHS is no longer uniform, and cooling efficiency is lost as small caps can form between a heatsink and the CPU it's supposed to be cooling. While the impact of this issue should typically result in a processor that simply runs a few degrees hotter, it is worth remembering that higher thermals may result in your processor boosting to lower frequencies or achieving its maximum frequency less often.
Thermalright's LGA1700-BCF (Bending Corrector Frame)
Thermalright's solution to Intel's Alder Lake bending problems is their LGA1700-BCF, an aluminium frame that replaces the CPU mounting mechanism of the company's LGA1700 CPU socket. This frame mounts around your processor and is secured using simple screws. This frame can apply more even pressure to Intel's Alder Lake processors, resulting in a decreased chance of warping. However, Intel has warned that this kind of mounting solution can void your CPU's warranty.
On the Chinese retail website Taobou, Thermalright's LGA1700-BCF costs 39 RMB. This translates to around $6 or £5 in the US and UK respectively. This mounting solution also ships with a small 1g syringe of Thermalright's TF7 thermal compound/paste. This pricing makes Thermalright's anti-bending solution an affordable one, and Thermalright claims that their solution supports Z690, B660, and H610 series motherboards from Intel.
You can join the discussion on Thermalright's anti-bending solution for Alder Lake processors on the OC3D Forums.
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